Working For Government Like Being In Cult Of Heroin Addicts
As a state employee (but NOT one that directly points guns at law abiding citizens), this post by @adamkokesh, or Chapter 9, Section III of his book, FREEDOM, cut me to the core.
It has taken me a while but as I spend more time on Steemit I am beginning to believe what he says is true. I have discovered this truth much too late. I have been on the heroin that is state "service" for almost 15 years with its steady supply of heroin needles that come in the form of a reliable monthly paycheck.
In addition to supplying a steady salary and great benefits like an excellent health insurance plan, my position in government has stroked my ego when it needed stroking. Most government emoloyees feel they are doing an important job and for several years I thought I was where I was supposed to be. These days I am not so sure.
My dependency on this drug is also fueled by the promise of retirement with a full pension benefit after 30 years. It is easy to focus on that goal and just keep thinking I will be free from it all when I retire.
Many people would say it's not all together terrible what we do. We don't directly threaten anyone. Our agency is designed to provide "good benefits" to everyone who comes to our state; to make life easier and to provide financial security to those with whom we "transact our business".
I work with some good people. But apparently we have all drunk the Kool-aid and we don't even know it. Or maybe we do know it deep down inside and we just aren't willing to admit that we are part of the problem.
We are members of the cult that is government. It's not as easy to get out as it may seem. Especially when you have a wife and two children depending on you.
Month to month we continue the grind without even knowing it is a trap designed to enslave us. With every needle we are committing scuicide to get to heaven's gate.
Between the highs I sometimes get a moment of painful clarity. I take a step back and see the danger. For me, reading that post was one of those painful moments of clarity. It's been on my mind a lot since I read it.
I am slowly coming to the realization that what I do is a form of theft- a form of violence. This has me greatly disturbed. I am as a thief, who is driven for a need to shoot up with heroin.
From what I have seen, Mr. Kokesh's writing has a respectful tone towards people in my situation. He tries to persuade, instead of vilify. I really appreciate that. I think to a certain extent he sympathizes with people like me who feel trapped and wish we could do something to get off this heroin addiction.
Maybe what we need is a heroin addiction recovery program of some kind. Maybe we need a way to believe again that we can find the freedom we seek doing what we love. I think this recovery program could largely be provided through some endeavor on the Steem blockchain. Isn't that the reason this blockchain was launched by @dan and @ned in the first place?
I realized some time ago that freedom is what I have always wanted.
My desire for freedom has led me to continue educating myself online over the years and looking for opportunities to gain financial freedom.
I often wish for a more simple life.
I have paid off debts so that I don't have to depend on the heroin needle. I have had some success but have also relapsed into debt again.
This desire for freedom is what drove me to discover Bitcoin and eventually Steem.
I have been on Steemit since July 15, 2016. I have been pretty active here and learning a lot as I go. I have traded some crypto and then invested my gains in Steem Power. I am grateful for my progress, but it is not nearly enough to buy my freedom.
But hope springs eternal.
I have a passion for hunting, fishing, firearms and other outdoor pursuits. With this passion as my inspiration and believing that true freedom can be found in doing what I love, I recently kicked off the @myhuntingfishing blog and the #myhuntingfishing tag.
Steem has given me renewed hope of building a community of like-minded outdoors-men and outdoors-women who can work together at gaining freedom and prosperity in doing what we love. We are small but we are growing, even with only 1,000 Steem Power that I delegated to @myhuntingfishing.
I am seeking gifted delegations of Steem Power or reasonably-priced leases of Steem Power to increase my ability to reward our community members and secure our financial freedom.
I have remained relatively discreet about my employment in my interactions on Steemit for fear of being ostracized by the community.
I hope that will not be the result of this post. I went back and forth in my mind about whether or not to post this blog.
As you can see, I have taken the first step by publicly admitting I have a heroin problem.
I know I need to do most of this on my own but it will be much easier with the support of a generous, helpful and patient community of Steemians- my fellow lovers of freedom. If we all help each other along we will reach our goal more quickly and powerfully.
The candidacy of @adamkokesh for president in 2020 may be a beacon of hope. We should all read the rest of his book to find out.
Just be ready for a sobering dose of reality.
There is no cult or needle that can hide the truth forever - the human need for freedom will win in the end.
A good message. I’m resteeming.
Thank you so much!
This really hits home. I quit my state job less than a year ago and have loved and hated that fact. It was something I aimed for - the paid vacations, sick days and insurance. I thought they would make me happy.
Not so much. I was miserable. I worked overtime and holidays just to be belittled by my ungrateful, stressed out, in-need-of-funding boss. When I quit, it felt good. I have been on the fence ever since, wondering if it was the right decision. Reading this article has made me believe it was a great choice. Thanks for the insight.
kirstin: Simply try to remember the most important facts: Your previous salary was funded by stealing from your neighbors, and/or currency produced by vile counterfeiters hell-bent on taking over this nation and destroying our last liberty.
I hope you are doing all right financially now with the change. I imagine it must have been a hard change. I have been furtunate I guess to have mostly great bosses. I have worked lots of overtime in previous positions though. I didn't mind that too much except that I didn't have much time or energy for my family or to do things I enjoy. I'm glad the article helped you feel better about your decision. Wishing you blessings, prosperity and freedom!
I am doing alright financially as I have always lived simply and have no one to care for except myself and pets. Finding a job isn't tough for me...they seem to always need restaurant workers. It is not the most esteemed profession but it does pay the bills and I do have a remarkable amount of freedom with it. Thank you kindly for your blessings!
Good to hear. There's nothing wrong with restaurant work and there are some perks for sure.
"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help". Ronald Reagan
Famous words, for sure, although perhaps not repeated as often as they should be.
I held a full time federal job at one time, and I have worked for several other government agencies. I no longer do, for several reasons, and mostly because - I quit. I sleep much better at night.
One of the reasons I quit is because I was coerced to do some things under the color of law that I was not comfortable with, but I did them, because I wanted to keep my job, and I thought that if I did it would further my career.
Shame On Me!
But I was young, and as the saying goes, I wish that I had known then, what I know (so very well) now. I would not have done what I done...even if it was, at the time, legal.
But it was not just, nor fair, or morally right, and I know that now.
I would never presume to tell you, or anyone else, what they should do. But the fact that you are taking a new look at things is hopeful, and inspiring, and I salute you for the effort.
I have no doubt that the way forward will become even clearer over time.
Let Freedom Ring - In The Outdoors!
"Let justice be done though the heavens fall."
(Unknown Source - appears to originate in modern jurisprudence)
Usually you just hear the second part, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help," with no mention of the terror those words inspire.
Thankfully I don't feel like I am being coerced into doing specific deeds which directly harm others. If that were the case I probably would make a more drastic change more quickly. It's more of a realization that I am part of the problem that I often complain about, which is a government that has grown way too big and is threatening freedom more and more as it grows progressively toward communism.
Thank you. When the time is right and the path is clear everything will fall together.
Yes, for me freedom will include more time and energy to devote to my passion for the outdoors! Now that is a happy thought!
I read posts & comments on here that suggests their is no such thing as free will and hence freedom is an illusion. To me this is a philosophical academic "meta argument" about determinism and free will, but after making that argument they have to go back to making choices in the real world. Freedom or relative freedom is something worth striving for, and it is something that can be achieved with crypto. Communities make the choice to use different things for currency all the time, gold, shells, tally sticks and at the end of that day that is what we use to eat.
The Bolsheviks couldn't cut the Kulaks supply of money, they were to self sufficient, they had to confiscate the food. In this day and age all that is required to instigate a famine is cutting the supply or value of the money, see Venezuela as an example.
I prefer to trade then post, I do a lot better, however still try and post each day, I am not great at writing. I think the thoughts of the forgotten Ralph Waldo Emerson, or the ideas of the pragmatists should have been developed not left behind. The ideas of individualism, self reliance, integrity and reputation seem to be lost today without reason. The only reason anybody would abandon those ideas is because they are harder than the alternative, they require strong character.
That being said, in my country, work is work and feeding yourself and family comes first. If the money you earn is going to establishing your own self reliance then it is money well spent.
I think that there is a misconception about individualist not being able to work together because they only do things for themselves, but this is not the case. The values of integrity and reputation allow individuals to work better together as each individual does the best they can for the given project, so that they get chosen for the next project. Maybe I'll do a post on it, hopefully we can work together!
I don't know that I can add anything to what you have said, other than it takes an exceptional individual to maintain a personal sense of freedom and individuality while working for the state in most cases. May you be blessed.
Thank you. There are a few of us who are freedom lovers around these halls. We try to be the good guys in government. Unfortunately, I think that if/when I leave the state someone will always be there to fill my spot unless major changes are made from the top down to peacefully dismantle the system.
Look, you know my feelings on the matter of working for government, what I did to get out of it, and probably have a sense of what I've been through in avoiding such a job again even though my wife would be happier if I did and it would actually provide some additional financial security.
However, I cannot fault anyone who provides for their family.
The hardest thing in all of this is making moves you know you should do when you have little or no support from the spouse, plus young children to take care of. That responsibility is as about as important as it gets.
That said, I certainly don't want to discourage you from finding an out. It's amazing how the doors begin to open when you decide it's what you should do. And of all of the different agencies you could have worked for, the one where you do is, in my opinion, as close to self-sufficient as government agencies will ever get.
So, dude, while you're smarting from what you've read, just know that I feel your pain and I've also paid the price and suffered the consequences, good and bad, of quitting a good paying government job with great benefits and virtually no threat of being fired.
So, it can be done. And with the kind of experience you have, there's a good chance it can translate into the private sector. Of course, going straight to something involving hunting and fishing would be awesome, too. :)
Let me know if I can help in anyway. Otherwise, as always, I'm rooting for you.
Thanks for your understanding and support. I know you have been through some amazingly prosperous times and some amazingly difficult times as a result of your choice. It gives me pause to think of what could happen in my future. We will just have to see if any doors open. Maybe it is time to start checking around the private sector.
If I have learned anything from my short time on this platform, its that this is not who we are. Steemit and it's community has been one of the best I have seen. If you were to be ostracized by the community I would be severely disappointed. This is not going to happen.
You have really opened up in this post, and I can tell you put some time into it.
I'm not sure if this has a deeper meaning.. but finance wise I think your time and investment is sound. This platform is growing and big things are happening. One day it might be enough to buy you some financial freedom.. especially if you stick with it.
I have followed your @myhuntingfishing blog, and I'm looking forward to more content! I actually love fishing, and my interests in hunting are growing. I have had the opportunity to hunt deer and elk my whole life but have never had interest until lately.
I wish you the best, and hope you find the path your looking for.
We hope you will consider posting some fishing and/or hunting content with the #myhuntingfishing tag. Those posts always get resteemed and upvoted.
Thank you so much for the great comment, kind words and ecouragement. I do feel it is important to be honest and open and I did put a lot of time into this post. I agree that Steemit does have a great community. The fear of being ostracized comes from a few posts I have read that are extremely critical of government employees. You're right, it's probably not going to happen. I agree that 99% of the community is very supportive. I also agree that my investments in Steemit are very solid. It is honestly the best platform and opportunity I have found in all of my searching and I am definitely here for the long term! Things should only get better from here! There are some very exciting things happening indeed.
Thank you for following @myhuntingfishing! It's awesome to know another fisherman and future hunter ;). I do hope you take the opportunity to go hunting. There are so many benefits to it, the least of which is the actual killing of the animal. You get to enjoy the outdoors, spend time with friends and loved ones, enjoy the fruits of your labors with fresh, healthy, organic meat, and much more.
As my friend @huntbook quotes at the end of his hunting posts, "One does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted". From Meditations on Hunting by José Ortega y Gasset
Because systems are already in place and all pretty much automated, even if you left government it would have no impact; it would continue rolling on. The only way any difference would be made is if everyone walked out at once and let's be honest, that isn't going to happen. If you leave, you do it for your own piece of mind, so take your time, make a plan and don't punish yourself in the meantime.
Thank you! Very wise statement and advice. Will do.
Fantastic written article! Even though I don't work for the government, I find inspiration in your words, and I totally agree with what you say!
We'll be looking for your outdoors related posts. ;) Steem on!
Thank you so much for the kind words! I will try to keep and eye on your blog! It looks like some good stuff!
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